UPDATE: The man accused in the slaying of Sheryl Turner killed and dismembered her body in his West Monroe apartment, police allege.
The affidavit filed in Ouachita Parish for the arrest of Anthony Pierce Holland Jr. (29) lays out the details of how police say he killed Turner (23). He was booked with second-degree murder and is being held without bond.
Earlier Wednesday, Catahoula authorities traveled to New Iberia to inform Turner's family that the arrest had been made. They tell us that Holland allegedly has confessed to the crime. He's been booked at the Ouachita Parish Detention Center with second-degree murder.
At the end of January, human remains were found in the Ouachita River. A month later, the remains were identified as New Iberia native Sheryl Turner. Law enforcement told us at the time it was a case that they'd "never seen before."
Earlier this month, our Iberia Parish Reporter Anna Fischer spoke with her family, and has been following the story for months. Today, she was in New Iberia when the family was notified of the arrest, and spoke with Turner's father about the news.
The affidavit says that investigators determined that Holland and Turner started a relationship using the TextNow app, and had a plan for Holland to pick her up at her mother's home in New Iberia. He did that on January 1, and then returned to his Ouachita Parish home with her.
They learned that Turner's phone stopped transmitting on January 2 just before midnight. At that time, her phone was connected to a WiFi network near Holland's West Monroe apartment, the affidavit states. They found his car on traffic cameras in the area where the body was found. It was captured on those cameras four days before the remains were located, and forensics experts said that time frame was consistent with the amount of time the body had been in the water.
The affidavit alleges that Holland told investigators that he started a relationship with Turner online, and after he brought her to his home, he killed her during a sex act. After realizing she was dead, he dismembered her body, but it in bags and dumped the bags in a tributary of the Ouachita River, along with the knives he used and all her possessions that she had with her.
After investigators served a search warrant, they found a lot of blood in his apartment, on a mattress and on the floor, court documents show.
The judge ordered Holland be held without bond, records show.
Here's the release that was sent out by Catahoula Sheriff Toney Edwards:
"Catahoula Sheriff Department Investigators along with West Monroe Police Department, Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Department, along with the FBI conducted a joint investigation into the homicide of Sheryl Turner. Ms. Turner was last seen by her family on December 31, of 2023. She sent messages to her sister stating that she had met someone in the Ouachita Parish area and was going to move up there for a while. Sheryl then sent a message to a family friend in New Iberia stating that she had made it to West Monroe and she would talk to him soon.
"On January 24th 2024 Catahoula Parish Sheriff’s Office received a call from a local hunter stating it was a possible body in the Ouachita River. CPSO Deputies and Detectives responded to the area, along with the Catahoula Parish Coroner’s Office-Raymond and Jackie Rouse. The torso of the unknown female was later identified as Sheryl Turner from New Iberia. After the vigilant investigation conducted by the above mentioned agencies, a suspect was arrested in this investigation. Last night the suspect was booked into Ouachita Parish Detenion Center on the charge of 2nd Degree Murder.
"Sheriff Edwards would like to commend everyone that helped in this investigation to bring justice to the family of Sheryl Turner. He sends his heartfelt condolences to the Turner family and ask that our community keep their family in your prayers."
